


Affection

by zenonaa



Series: LGBT Pride Month [10]
Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Other, lgbt pride month
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 07:32:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19168657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenonaa/pseuds/zenonaa
Summary: '“Looking at the sea...  is kind of scary,” said Hajime softly. “I mean, we can’t see any land where we are now. We could go almost anywhere, and that’s daunting. But with my loved ones, wherever we may go... I think I can face it.”He reached and feeling Tomomi’s hand on the floor beside him, he gripped it.“You’re not Togami. You’re not ‘the Imposter’. You are our friend, Tomomi. That’s the name you chose.”'Hinata comforts his partner.





	Affection

When Hajime woke to an empty bed, though he felt a twinge of disappointment, he didn’t think too much of it. After all, his partner tended to get up early to investigate activity in the kitchen. Hajime sat up and rubbed his eyes. He twisted around, draping his legs over the side of the bed, and tipped forward, standing on his feet. As he walked to the ensuite bathroom, he could only hear the dull thud of his footsteps, which stopped as he arrived at the door.

Light flooded in through the bathroom window, and he could see the creased surface of the sea that he had become accustomed to, stretched out endlessly under a pale sky. The window reached from one end of the back wall to the next, and the compact room gave little space for him to maneuver around the shower unit, toilet and sink. 

Hajime stared out at the sea as he positioned himself by the sink. He tore his gaze away and in turning his head, he noticed that the mirror above the sink had been flipped over so he saw its opaque backside.

His heart skipped, tripped and landed uncomfortably. Not bothering to brush his teeth, or shower or change out of his pyjamas, Hajime crossed through his cabin to the door and soon emerged into the hallway. Without breaking stride, he headed left, past the doors of many of his friends.

Finding his partner wouldn’t take long. There were only so many places one could go to on a boat. First, he checked the kitchen, where he found two of his friends - Teruteru and Akane.

“Good morning, Hinata-kun!” Teruteru greeted, hugging a bowl of partially mixed rice-and-eggs against his chest. 

Bowls and trays occupied almost every flat surface, but not in a disorganised, cluttered way. Some contained soup, others rice, seaweed or pickled vegetables, and fish lay motionlessly on plates, and they all came together to emit a mouthwatering aroma. Nearby, Akane perched on one of the counters with what looked like a boiled thread-sail filefish hanging out of her mouth.

Hajime barely entered the room, stepping to a halt just inside the kitchen. He nodded at them and raised a hand as an acknowledgement, his eyes trained on Teruteru.

“Good morning, you two,” said Hajime, then he cut to the chase. “Have you seen Tomomi?”

Teruteru bounced his head in the affirmative. “Yes, indeed I have! He grabbed some breakfast that I already prepared and left without even a hello goodbye.”

He paused and stroked his chin with a grimace.

“I suppose... he is dressed as that Togami fellow today, but even then he usually sticks around,” added Teruteru.

“Did he say where he was going?” asked Hajime. Teruteru didn’t answer, but Akane slurped up the rest of the fish, which couldn't be safe to do.

“I saw him on the way here,” she said. “I think he was going overboard.”

“O-Overboard?” Hajime choked out, slapping a hand to his chest.

Akane screwed a finger in her ear, only looking mildly troubled with a single crease in her brow. “Yeah... that’s what you call it when you’re going on the deck, right?”

“No! It’s called going up on the deck,” said Hajime.

“Oh yeah, that then,” she said, and she grabbed a plate. Teruteru swatted the back of her hand and took it back from her.

Even with the clarification, Hajime’s heart continued to race, and he uttered a quick thanks before darting out of the kitchen. The door didn’t quite shut completely behind him, but he didn’t go back. He could barely hear his footfall over the beat in his head. Over his breathing, his hurried gulps.

Once on the deck, Hajime explored, and just like Akane suggested, Hajime found Tomomi there. Not overboard, of course. Tomomi was sitting down, back against the barrier lining the deck. A tray rested by their feet, finished of any food that had been on it.

Staying a short distance away, Hajime said, “Hi, Tomomi. It’s me.”

Tomomi glanced up, then fixed their gaze downward again. Hajime waited a few seconds before he slowly approached, and he sank down beside Tomomi. For some time, the breeze conversed with the rumble of a calm sea, uninterrupted, while they sat together, side-by-side.

Ultimately, Tomomi spoke up.

“You’re still in your pyjamas,” they said.

“Huh?” Hajime checked then gave a small laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I am... I must have forgotten to get changed.”

Tomomi stared at the sea through the horizontal gaps in the barrier. Their face was smooth and unreadable.

“You were wondering where I went,” they stated.

The slight smile on Hajime’s face hardened and couldn’t really be called a smile anymore.

“Yeah, I did,” he said. “Tomomi... how are you feeling?”

They shrugged and adjusted their glasses. A scoff escaped them.

“Involving yourself in another person’s business... have you no shame?” asked Tomomi, still not making eye contact. “Focus on yourself. That is all you can trust.”

Hajime shifted. “I know that’s Togami talking, and even then... we’ve met the guy. He’s not like that anymore, and neither are you. Anyway, I’m not asking what Togami would say. I’m asking you, Tomomi. Please... tell me what’s wrong.”

Tomomi continued to study the sea. Not pushing for an answer, Hajime fell silent and followed Tomomi’s gaze. No signs of land could be seen, not from any direction. A grin tweaked the ends of Hajime’s lips upward.

“Looking at the sea...  is kind of scary,” said Hajime softly. “I mean, we can’t see any land where we are now. We could go almost anywhere, and that’s daunting. But with my loved ones, wherever we may go... I think I can face it.”

He reached and feeling Tomomi’s hand on the floor beside him, he gripped it.

“You’re not Togami. You’re not ‘the Imposter’. You are our friend, Tomomi. That’s the name you chose. And I remember, back in virtual reality, you were the one who told me that even if I couldn’t remember who I was, I was me, and that was enough. You told me that I had potential, and that the me now is what mattered... and that the person I am now is who you wanted to be with.”

Hajime turned to Tomomi, who was already staring at him. He squeezed Tomomi’s hand.

“And... the person you are, regardless of your appearance, is who I want to be with,” said Hajime. “Tomomi... who led us. Who protected us. Who leads us. Who protects us. And who we will do the same for in return.”

The sea murmured. Eventually, though it couldn’t have been more than ten seconds, Tomomi relaxed into a smile. 

“Thank you, Hajime,” they said. “Sometimes, I need reminding.”

For a moment, neither moved, but then, without exchanging a single word, the two leaned inward at the same time, but just before their lips pressed together, they both shut their eyes.

Tomomi’s glasses got in the way. The two receded, with Tomomi’s glasses becoming lopsided. Hajime carefully took them off, placing them nearby, and after he let go of them, he held onto Tomomi’s other hand too, and they sat close, content in the bubble around them, fingers laced.

At least, for a while.

“... Have you eaten yet?” asked Tomomi.

“Ah,” went Hajime, wincing. “No.”

His admission prompted Tomomi to straighten. Hajime’s head got pushed away and he pouted a little.

“Then I insist that we go get your breakfast right away,” they said sharply.

“Okay,” said Hajime, grinning now. “Do you want seconds?”

Tomomi considered. Their lips contorted in thought.

“Actually, no... I think I’m full,” said Tomomi. They placed a hand over their heart. “I feel full... complete. I can wait until lunch, but I’ll come with you anyway... to make sure you eat enough.”

Hajime nodded, and the two stood and walked to the door that would take them under the deck, hand-in-hand.


End file.
